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In a message to the 27th International Ecumenical Conference on Orthodox Spirituality at the Bose Monastery, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit expressed his deep appreciation for the hospitality and ecumenical spirituality of the Bose community.
The conference is convening from 4-6 September.
“The monastery remains a true ecumenical beacon in its commitment and contributions, as evidenced in the strong relationships and friendships of the community with the WCC and our members,” reads the greeting. “The Orthodox spirituality experienced and lived in this monastery cannot be separated from its continual sharing beyond its walls and beyond confessional borders.”
The theme of the conference, “Called to Life in Christ: In the Church, in the World, in the Present Time," proposes three dimensions of our living in Christ, Tveit reflects.
“Being in Christ means being in his body, which is his church,” Tveit writes. “The church is unity in Christ, the closest union with Christ.”
Christians make present Christ’s healing presence, Tveit continues. “The message of Christians can be very uncomfortable for the world,” he notes. "Still, Christians have the responsibility to speak loudly and prophetically the message of the gospel, which is a message of love, against personal and collective sins, which affect our lives, our inter-personal relations, and our relation with the whole environment.”
Tveit also reflects that our present times are marked by major challenges: migration, the rise of populism, religious extremism, and environmental crises. “Living in and witnessing to the transforming love of Christ, Christians are called not only to serve the urgent needs of our world but also to work and pray for healing, reconciliation, and sanctification of every human being,” he concludes.
